Abstract The Bones and Teeth Gordon Research Conference (B&T GRC) has had over 60 years of history in bringing together leaders in a variety of disciplines relevant to studies of bone and tooth biology and diseases to share the latest and often unpublished results, and to engage in extensive and constructive discussion. In the past decade, the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) held one day before the GRC has greatly increased the participation of trainees and early career investigators and promoted close interactions between next- generation scientists and senior investigators. The 2018 GRC and GRS will continue and strengthen this tradition. Through structured scientific presentation, formal and informal discussions as well as poster sessions over the course of 6 days (1 day GRS plus 5 days GRC), the meetings are designed to showcase the latest advancement in skeletal and dental research in relation to both normal and disease states, and to catalyze cross-disciplinary collaborations. Since the last meetings in 2014 and 2016, the field has witnessed a surging interest in studying the skeleton as an integral component of whole-body physiology, and such studies have uncovered novel regulatory circuitries between the skeletal and the neuronal or the metabolic systems. Such findings have underscored the intimate connection between skeletal and overall health. In addition, new insights about the cellular origin and molecular regulation of skeletal and dental stem cells in relation to normal homeostasis or aging are being provided at a record pace, and studies of rare bone diseases have produced unprecedented progress in both mechanistic understanding and potential therapeutics. Therefore to capture the momentum and to propel further innovation in the field, the 2018 meetings particularly seek to highlight the cutting-edge research in Integrative Skeletal Physiology, Metabolic Regulation of the Skeleton, Skeletal and Dental Stem Cells, Rare Bone Diseases and Skeletal Aging, among other important topics. Both the scientific content and the collaborative spirit of the GRC and GRS are directly aligned with the missions of multiple NIH institutes including NIDCR, NIA, NIAMS and NIDDK.